The Contextualization of Language (Pragmatics & Beyond New Series) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 9027250340 ISBN 13: 9789027250346

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 1992

Synopsis

This volume suggests a novel treatment of context in the analysis of everyday interaction. On a theoretical level, it advocates a switch of focus from 'context' as a preestablished, monolithic category which constringes co-participants' verbal and nonverbal behaviour, to an active notion of 'contextualization': in order to make oneself understood, participants have to establish and maintain those shared contextual frames which in turn are relevant to the local interpretation of their verbal and nonverbal activities. On an empirical level, the volume contains exemplary analyses that show how participants employ 'contextualization cues' of prosodic (rhythm, intonation, tempo, etc.) or nonverbal (gaze, gesture, etc.) nature in order to 'achieve context'.The volume is also an appraisal of the theory of contextualization developed by John Gumperz. In their contributions, researchers from various schools of research, such as conversation analysis, micro-ethnography, phonetics/phonology and metapragmatics, relate their work to this theory.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9027250340
• ISBN 13: 9789027250346
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416
• Editor: Auer Peter, Di Luzio Aldo